What stands out worked out from the figures below

Manchester has the most renters (43.1% rent).

Chaplin has the most homeowners (82.9%).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Manchester	Chaplin
People
Population	59,635Highest	2,070Lowest
Median age	37±1.2Lowest 10% below CT	43.7±4.8Highest 6% above CT
Kids under 18	20%±1.6Highest CT: 20.2%	15.7%±4.2Lowest CT: 20.2%
	Manchester and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.5%±1.2Lowest CT: 18.5%	20.9%±4.4Highest CT: 18.5%
	Chaplin and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.5%Highest CT: 42.5%	25.4%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.5%±0.7Lowest CT: 7.1%	10.1%±6.2Highest CT: 7.1%
	Chaplin and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$86,840±$4kLowest 9% below CT	$97,846±$14kHighest about the CT average
	Chaplin and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$247,100±$6kLowest 33% below CT	$255,200±$24kHighest 30% below CT
	Chaplin and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,519±$66Highest about the CT average	$1,473±$275Lowest about the CT average
	Manchester and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,652Highest 15% below CT	$4,524Lowest 32% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.1%±6.1Highest CT: 52.6%	33.6%±27.7Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Manchester and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.8%Highest CT: 10%	5.4%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	56.9%Lowest CT: 66.5%	82.9%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1962Lowest 5 yrs older than CT	1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 15% below CT	32 minHighest 22% above CT
Work from home	14.3%±1.9Lowest CT: 16%	18.1%±10Highest CT: 16%
	Chaplin and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#135 of 149 in CT	—
School district	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Odyssey Community School District	Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11
High school in town	Manchester High School	Parish Hill High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Highest	7.5Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

CT average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.